Frans Hals (1581/85-1666), The Laughing Cavalier, 1624.	Hals, Balthasar Coymans, 1645.
	Hals, detail of the Laughing Cavalier.
Hals, Portrait of Nicholas Hesselaer, c. 1627.	Hals, Portrait of Isaac Abrahmasz Maasa, 1626,
Hals, Portrait of a Man, c. 1630.
Hals, Assembly of the Officers of the Guard of St. Hadrian, 1633.	Hals, detail of the Officers of St. Hadrian.
Jacob van Ruisdael (1628/29-82), The Windmill, c. 1665.	Ruisdael, Wheatfields, 1670.
Ruisdael, View of Haarlem, c. 1670.
Wilhelm Kalf (1619-1693), Still Life with a late Ming Ginger Jar, 1669.	Rachel Ruysch (1663-1750), Flower Still Life, c. 1700.
Vermeer, The Geographer, c. 1670.	Vermeer, Young Woman Reading a Letter, 1662-63.
Vermeer, The Art of Painting.c. 1670.	Jan Van Eyck, Arnolfini Wedding Portrait, 1434.

Peter Munday, an English visitor to Amsterdam in 1640, wrote:

As for the art of painting and the affection of the people to pictures, I think that none go beyond them. All strive to adorn their houses, especially the outer or street rooms, with costly pieces --butchers and bakers not much inferior in their shops, which are fairly set forth, yea many times blacksmiths, cobblers, etc. will have some picture or other in their forge and in their stalls. Such is the general notion, inclination, and delight that these country natives have to painting.